GIANT STANDARD: Football fans should hope Sunday's Super Bowl matches the excitement and drama of the Giants' epic win over the Patriots two years ago.Reuters

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — There are 44 reasons most of us will love this Super Bowl, and here they are:

I: We are a nation of bettors. Chances are even our wives/girlfriends/sisters/mothers/grandmothers (and your mistresses, my wife reads this) have a box in an office pool.

II: Sixteen days until pitchers and catchers.

III: Peyton Manning is good.

IV: The Who is the halftime show, and we know that a wardrobe malfunction could erupt at any time.

V: Jeremy Shockey is playing in this one.

VI: This is CBS’ last chance to Keep Up with the Kardashians. If you’re spiraling out of control and on your way to Gamblers Anonymous, you will undoubtedly be interested in this proposition bet: If the Saints win, will Kim Kardashian and Reggie Bush be engaged by July 31?

VII: You will be treated to memorable 30-second commercials that sell for between $2.5 million and $2.8 million. Who can forget Mean Joe Greene and that young boy in the 1979 Coke ad? Larry Bird and Michael Jordan shooting for a Big Mac and fries in 1993? The jogger representing Apple who threw a sledgehammer into a giant Big Brother image (IBM) in 1984?

VIII: America loves a party, so if you’re in penny-pinching mode, just invite yourself over to a neighbor’s for the free beer, pizza, chips and dip and wings.

IX: It’s always fun to laugh at the suckers who pay $1,000 minimum for a lousy seat just so they can say they were at the game.

X: For a few hours, Chris Matthews gets to forget that Barack Obama is black.

XI: It’s yet another opportunity for Giants fans to remind Jets fans that it’s been 41 years since their team played in a Super Bowl.

XII: The last two Super Bowls — Giants over Patriots and Steelers over Cardinals — arguably have been the best ones, which gives us hope that Saints-Colts will be more compelling than the John Tortorella-Larry Brooks re-runs.

XIII: There is — mercifully — little danger we will be subjected to any Brett Favre retirement updates.

XIV: Any event that stops Tiger Woods from texting is worth watching.

XV: There’s always a chance CBS can get Omar Minaya on the set to talk about the Fernando Tatis signing.

XVI: When the cameras pan to the celebrities, Bernie Madoff won’t be one of them. In fact, the next game Madoff will have a chance to attend will be Super Bowl 194.

XVII: Drew Brees is good.

XVIII: If the Colts get a big lead, Jim Caldwell will make sure we get to see Curtis Painter again.

XIX: Post columnist Ashley Dupre says that if you leave your man alone on gameday, or pretend you’re interested, there’s a good chance it will improve your sex life going forward.

XX: The rebirth of the Superdome and the revival of the Saints are reminders of the triumph of the human spirit.

XXI: Giants fans should know that the over/under on camera shots of Eli Manning during the game is 2, and of Archie Manning is 3.

XLIV: It’s a celebration of our way of life, and Bin Laden won’t be able to watch it, even if he tried.

Jets at altitude & climbing

You want to know why the Jets are absolutely in play to get back to the AFC Championship Game next season, beyond the maturation of Mark Sanchez and the return of Kris Jenkins and Leon Washington and being in the second year of Rex Ryan’s tenure and the first year of their new stadium?

In New England, Randy Moss will be a year older, and Wes Welker is a giant question mark following major knee surgery. In Pittsburgh, Hines Ward will be a year older. In San Diego, LaDainian Tomlinson will likely be gone. In Baltimore, Ray Lewis will be a year older, and Ed Reed is contemplating retirement.

Sure, the Jets need a pass rusher and another corner opposite Darrelle Revis, but it always helps when you can see the forest for the trees. Everyone knows that just because you get to the AFC Championship Game one year doesn’t guarantee you will be back the next.

That’s a given; Walt Michaels and Richard Todd could tell you that, as could Bill Parcells and Vinny Testaverde. But if you don’t think the Jets are ascending, uncapped year or not, you either haven’t been paying attention . . . or you can’t see the forest for the trees.

Doesn’t get any bettor

Approximately $81.5 million was wagered on the Super Bowl in Nevada’s sports books in 2009, according to the state’s Gaming Control Board. That was an 11.5 percent drop from the $92.1 million Giants-Patriots Super Bowl XLII handle.

According to the Gaming Control Board, of the total amount bet on the Super Bowl, only about 1.5 percent is wagered legally, made by those over age 21 and physically present in the state of Nevada. The state’s 176 sports books won $6.7 million last year.